Paint roller for edging

ABSTRACT

A roller for painting surfaces which are at an angle to each other wherein the roller may be rolled along one surface with one end thereof engaging the other surface and be guided thereby whereupon the surface engaged by the roller will be painted without applying any paint to the other surface. The roller may be used as a fountain roller or one to which paint is applied to the surface thereof.

United States Patent Charles Herbrechter Leetown Road;

Walter Pahlck, Hosner Mt. Road, both of Stormville, N .Y. 12582 Appl. No. 16,461

Filed Mar. 4, 1970 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Inventors PAlNT ROLLER FOR EDGING 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl....L 401/197, 401/15 Int. Cl 844d 3/28 Field of Search 401/15,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,023,443 3/1962 Brandeis 401/15X 3,036,327 5/1962 Crawford 401/15 Primary Examiner-Harland S. Skogquist Att0rney-Sh0emaker & Mattare ABSTRACT: A roller for painting surfaces which are at an angle to each other wherein the roller may be rolled along one surface with one end thereof engaging the other surface and be guided thereby whereupon the surface engaged by the roller will be painted without applying any paint to the other surface. The roller may be used as a fountain roller or one to which paint is applied to the surface thereof.

PAIENTEnum 12 197i 3 6 1 2 7 O '7 SHEET 10F 2 CHARLE'S HERBRECHTER a WALTE R PAH LCK ATTORNEYS INV ENTORS PATENTEDncI 12 l97| SHEET 20F 2 FIG-.5.

CHARLES HERBRECHTER 8| WALTER PAHLCH ATTORNEYS PAINT ROLLER FOR EDGING In the painting of the walls and ceiling of a room wherein different colors are used, one must use a brush to paint the corners between the ceiling and walls. This requires dexterity and carefulness. An ordinary roller as is on the market cannot be used for such work as there is no way to prevent the ends of the roller from engaging the other surface of a different color and applying paint to that surface.

This invention is upon a roller for applying paint to a surface with a means on the end thereof to prevent the application of paint to the other surface with the means also guiding the paint roller along the other surface so that paint is applied on the one surface and onto the surface adjacent the other surface.

The paint roller may be a fountain roller or may be one to which paint is applied to the surface thereof.

The paint roller according to this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and which are to be taken as one form thereof by way of description, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the paint roller ready for use; FIG. 2 is a cross section of FIG. 1 taken on line 2-2 of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of one end of the handle and reservoir taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the roller taken on line 4--4 of 25 FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section of the center of the roller taken on line 55 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the parts making up one end of the roller which is duplicated on the other end.

The roller shown has a handle 10, a feed tube 11 extending from one end of the handle and connecting to the roller 12. The handle 10 is circular in cross section and is hollow. Slots 13 are provided in diametrically opposed portions of the handle and extend from a point adjacent theright or rear end 14 to a point adjacent the left or front end 16. The slot 13 is provided with a notch 17 in the end thereof adjacent the rear end 14. The rear end 14 of the handle is open and is provided with a flange 18 extending inwardly from the circular body.

The handle 10 houses a paint reservoir 20 which is composed of tube of plastic or other leakproof material and is open at both ends 21 and 22. Mounted within the handle 10 is a sleeve 23. The sleeve 23 is of circular shape and is smaller than the inner surface of the handle so that it may be freely slideable therein. The front end of the sleeve 23 is provided with an outwardly extending shoulder 24 and a rim 25. Pins 26 are mounted on the rim at diametrically opposed-points and extending through the slots 13 for the purpose which will be explained later. The rear end of the sleeve 23 has a necked portion 27 thereon which carries outer threads 28. A screwcap 29 engages the threads 28 and closes the rear end of the sleeve 23, while the front end 30 is open. The portion 27 and the cap 29 will extend through the open end 14 of the handle 10 when the pins 26 are moved rearwardly along the slots 13 and into the notches 17. When the sleeve 23 is in this position the cap 29 may be removed from the necked portion 27. Mounted within the handle is an expansion spring 31, one end of which bears upon the flange 18 and the other end against the shoulder 24. The spring forces the sleeve forward towards the front end of the handle when the pins 26 are removed from the notches 17 and into the slots 13.

The front end 16 of the handle 10 is open as at 32 and is provided with internal screw threads 33. A screw cap 34 having external screw threads 35 thereon engages the internal threads 33 and closes the front end 16 of the handle 10. A rim 36 extends inwardly from the cap 34 and carries internal threads 37 thereon. A ring 38 having external threads 39 thereon engages the threads 37 on the rim 36.

The rear end 21 of the paint reservoir 20 is folded over the necked portion 27 of the sleeve 23 and is held between the threads 28 and the screwcap 29 and is sealed at that end thereby. The front end 22 of the tube 20 is folded over the ring 38 and held by the threads 39 when engaged with the threads 37 and is sealed thereby thus making the reservoir for the paint.

The reservoir 20 is filled by moving the pins rearwardly along the slots 13 and into the notches l7 whereupon the cap 29 is now extending outwardly of the end 14 of the handle 10. The cap 29 is removed allowing ingress to the reservoir 20 which is then filled whereupon the cap 29 is then threaded onto the necked portion 27 thus sealing the reservoir.

The front cap 34 has a central opening 40 therethrough. The opening is internally threaded by threads 41. Also mounted on the cap 34 and adapted to cover the inner end of the central opening 40 is a shutter valve 42 to entirely cutoff flow of the paint from the reservoir or control the amount of flow. A second opening 43 extends through the cap 34 which is off center. Extending through the opening 43 is a shaft 44 the inner end of which is connected to the shutter valve 42. The outer end of the shaft 44 is connected to a valve operator 45. By moving the valve operator 45, the valve 42 may be adjusted to control the flow of the paint or entirely cutoff the flow. Carried on the outer surface of the cap 34 is indicia 46 in the form of markings which apprise the operator of the position of the valve 42 and the amount of flow from the reservoir. Mounted within the central opening 40 of the cap 34 is the feed tube 11. The tube 11 is provided with external threads 49 engaging the threads 41 within the central opening.

When the pins 26 are removed from the notches 17 after filling the reservoir the expansion spring 31 will force the sleeve 23 forward thereby compressing the reservoir and applying a pressure upon the paint contained therein. If the shutter valve 42 is closing the central opening 40 in the cap 34 there is no flow of the paint. Upon movement of the valve 42 to a position allowing partial flow to full flow the paint will flow through the feed tube 11 into the center of the roller 12 under the force of the spring 31.

The forward end of the feed tube 11 has external screw threads 50 thereon which are threaded into a fitting 51 having internal threads at the end thereof. The fitting 51 has a circular end portion 52 engaging the feed tube 11. Extended forwardly of the circular portion is a flattened portion 53 being of flattened ellipsoid shape in cross section and closed throughout its periphery. Extending outwardly from each flattened side of the fitting and affixed thereto are hollow tubes 54 carrying perforations 55 in the body thereof. The parts of the roller 12 are duplicated on each of the flattened portion 53 of the fitting 51 so that the description of one side will suffice for both sides. The tubes 54 are fixed in the fitting 51 and are not rotatable. The tube 54 has a groove 56 cut thereon near the fitting 51. Rotatably mounted on the tube 54 is a sleeve 57 having a flange 58 on the end in engagement with the flattened portion 53. The outer end of the sleeve 57 is gradually reduced toward the end 59 providing a conical shape. The sleeve 57 is held on the tube 54 by a spring snapring 60 received in the groove 56. The sleeve 57 has a groove 61 cut therein. Rotatably mounted on the tube 54 is a roller 62, the inner of which has an inturned flange 63 engaged in and carried by the groove 61 of the sleeve 57. The roller 62 has a series of perforations 64 formed therein. The outer end of the roller 62 also has an inturned flange 65 at the outer end thereof.

The outer end 66 of the roller 62 is closed by a cap 67 having an end flange 68 and a conical body 69 similar in shape to the conical body portion 59 of the sleeve 57. A groove 70 is cut in the cap 67 between the flange 68 and the base of the conical portion 69. The inwardly extending flange 65 of the end 66 is snap fitted into the groove 70. A reduced portion 71 extends inwardly from the conical portion 69 and is rotatably mounted within the free end of the tube 54. lnterposed between the flange 68 of the cap 67 and the end 66 of the roller 62 is a guide washer 72 and held in position between the end 66 and the flange 68.

A paint roller 75 of any suitable material is mounted on the roller 62 and extends outwardly from the flattened portion 53 of the fitting 51. The paint roller 75 is held in position on the roller 62 by the cap 67 and guide washer 72. As stated previously, each part is duplicated on each side of the flattened portion 53 and outwardly therefrom. Each paint roller 75 is provided with an undercut 76 in the meeting ends thereof which receive the flattened portion 53 of the fitting 51. By providing the undercut 76, the paint rollers 75 meet at the center of the structure and will thereby paint the entire surface against which it is placed.

When using the cutting-in paint roller described herein if the valve 42 is partially or fully open, the paint in the reservoir 20 is forced by the action of the spring 31 through the feed tube 11 into the fitting 51 and outwardly therefrom into the tubes 54 on each side thereof. The paint then passes through the perforations 55 into the interior of the rollers 62 and through the perforations 64 of the rollers 62 and into the mass of the material making the paint rollers 75 from which it is applied to the surface to be painted.

If the surface to be painted is a wall surface and the painter wished to paint the corner produced by the wall surface meeting the ceiling surface, he places one of the caps 67 against the ceiling surface and the surface of the paint rollers 75 against the wall surface. By moving the cutting-in paint roller along the wall surface while keeping the cap 67 against the ceiling surface, the wall surface will be painted, however, no paint will be put on the ceiling surface The cap 67 and the guide washer 72 prevent the end of the paint roller 75 from engaging the ceiling surface.

While there has been described the action of painting a wall surface where it meets a ceiling surface, it will be readily seen that the device may be used to paint the ceiling surface without placing any paint on the wall surface in the same manner as previously described. Also, it will be realized that the device may be used on any surface which is at an angle to an adjoining surface and if different coloring is desired on the adjoining surfaces.

While the device has been shown and described with one type of reservoir it will be seen that any type of reservoir may be used as long as it feeds the paint to the rollers by pressure applied thereon. Also, it will be seen that the paint roller may be used without a reservoir but may have paint applied directly thereto in the same manner that it is applied to an ordinary paint roller but care must be taken that the paint is not applied to the cap 67 or the guide washer 72.

We claim:

1. A paint roller for applying paint to one surface at an angle to an adjacent surface while preventing the application of the paint to the adjacent surface, the roller having end portions thereon, a handle connected to the roller for moving the roller along the one surface, means for applying paint to the roller, means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller, guide means on at least one end portion of the roller to engage the adjacent surface and guide the roller along the one surface to apply paint thereto while preventing the application of paint to the adjacent surface.

2. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for applying the paint to the roller comprises a reservoir upon which pressure is applied to force the paint into the roller.

3. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow and contains a reservoir for the paint, a feed tube extending from one end of the handle, the feed tube being connected to the roller substantially in the center thereof, the means for applying the paint to the roller is a pressure applied to the reservoir to force the paint through the feed tube into the roller, and the means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller is an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle.

4. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the roller is hollow with the paint being applied to the inside thereof, and the guide means is mounted upon and held by at least one end portion of the roller.

5. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow, a reservoir within the handle containing the paint, the means for applying paint to the roller is a pressure means acting on the reservoir to force the paint therefrom, a feed tube extending from the handle, a fitting connecting the feed tube to the roller, the roller being hollow, the paint being forced through the feed tube and fitting into the interior of the roller, the means for adjusting the flow of the paint being an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle, and the guide means being a cap and guide washer mounted upon and held by at least one end portion of the roller.

6. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the guide means is on both end portions of the roller.

7. The paint roller as set forth in claim 6 wherein the guide means is a cap and guide washer mounted upon and held by both end portions of the roller.

8. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the roller comprises a hollow fitting, a hollow shaft extending from each side of the fitting and having free ends, two support rollers, means adjacent the fitting for mounting the support rollers on the shaft on each side of the fitting, a paint roller carried by each support roller, the guide means being a cap and guide washer engaging the free ends of the shaft and support rollers and bearing against the adjacent ends of the paint roller and holding the paint roller in position.

9. The paint roller as set forth in claim 8 wherein the ends of the paint rollers adjacent the fitting have an undercut surface to allow the ends to come together around the fitting and provide a continuous painting surface.

10. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow, the means for applying the paint to the roller comprising a flexible reservoir, the reservoir being open at both ends, means closing both ends of the reservoir, spring means within the handle and bearing on one end closure to force the paint to the paint roller, a feed tube extending from one end of the handle, the means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller being an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle means exterior of the handle for adjusting the valve, a hollow fitting connecting the feed tube to the paint roller, the roller being hollow, a hollow shaft extending from each side of the fitting and having free ends, two support rollers, means adjacent the fitting for mounting the support rollers on the shaft on each side of the fitting, a paint roller carried by each support roller, the ends of the paint roller adjacent the fitting having an undercut surface to allow the adjacent ends to come together around the fitting and provide a continuous painting surface, the guide means being a cap and guide washer engaging the free ends of the shaft and support rollers and bearing against the adjacent ends of the paint roller and holding the paint roller in position. 

1. A paint roller for applying paint to one surface at an angle to an adjacent surface while preventing the application of the paint to the adjacent surface, the rolleR having end portions thereon, a handle connected to the roller for moving the roller along the one surface, means for applying paint to the roller, means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller, guide means on at least one end portion of the roller to engage the adjacent surface and guide the roller along the one surface to apply paint thereto while preventing the application of paint to the adjacent surface.
 2. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means for applying the paint to the roller comprises a reservoir upon which pressure is applied to force the paint into the roller.
 3. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow and contains a reservoir for the paint, a feed tube extending from one end of the handle, the feed tube being connected to the roller substantially in the center thereof, the means for applying the paint to the roller is a pressure applied to the reservoir to force the paint through the feed tube into the roller, and the means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller is an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle.
 4. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the roller is hollow with the paint being applied to the inside thereof, and the guide means is mounted upon and held by at least one end portion of the roller.
 5. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow, a reservoir within the handle containing the paint, the means for applying paint to the roller is a pressure means acting on the reservoir to force the paint therefrom, a feed tube extending from the handle, a fitting connecting the feed tube to the roller, the roller being hollow, the paint being forced through the feed tube and fitting into the interior of the roller, the means for adjusting the flow of the paint being an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle, and the guide means being a cap and guide washer mounted upon and held by at least one end portion of the roller.
 6. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the guide means is on both end portions of the roller.
 7. The paint roller as set forth in claim 6 wherein the guide means is a cap and guide washer mounted upon and held by both end portions of the roller.
 8. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the roller comprises a hollow fitting, a hollow shaft extending from each side of the fitting and having free ends, two support rollers, means adjacent the fitting for mounting the support rollers on the shaft on each side of the fitting, a paint roller carried by each support roller, the guide means being a cap and guide washer engaging the free ends of the shaft and support rollers and bearing against the adjacent ends of the paint roller and holding the paint roller in position.
 9. The paint roller as set forth in claim 8 wherein the ends of the paint rollers adjacent the fitting have an undercut surface to allow the ends to come together around the fitting and provide a continuous painting surface.
 10. The paint roller as set forth in claim 1 wherein the handle is hollow, the means for applying the paint to the roller comprising a flexible reservoir, the reservoir being open at both ends, means closing both ends of the reservoir, spring means within the handle and bearing on one end closure to force the paint to the paint roller, a feed tube extending from one end of the handle, the means for adjusting the amount of paint applied to the roller being an adjustable valve at the connection of the feed tube and the handle means exterior of the handle for adjusting the valve, a hollow fitting connecting the feed tube to the paint roller, the roller being hollow, a hollow shaft extending from each side of the fitting and having free ends, two support rollers, means adjacent the fitting for mounting the support rollers on the shaft on each side of the fitting, a paint roller carried by each support roller, the ends of the paint roller adjaCent the fitting having an undercut surface to allow the adjacent ends to come together around the fitting and provide a continuous painting surface, the guide means being a cap and guide washer engaging the free ends of the shaft and support rollers and bearing against the adjacent ends of the paint roller and holding the paint roller in position. 